SILVER CRATOR MINE

In 1925, the mica deposit at the Silver Crater Mine was first being worked by S.Orser and D. J. Wilson on Lot 32, Concession XV, of Faraday Township, Hasting County, Ontario, Canada. At the time, a shallow pit was rather blasted as mining operation were just commencing, and about 200 tonnes of mica was produce. Exploratory work at the time had rather uncovered a deposit of dark amber mica, which was discovered on Lot. 32, Concession XV, of Faraday Township, Hasting County. It was also at this point in time when both of these properties were rather being optioned to a syndicate. Much attention on this property in 1925, was confined to mining mica to north end of the calcite body.

Mica mining operations at the Silver Crater Mine had continued onward within the operating year of 1947. It was at this point in time when the property was being worked by the Bancroft Mica, and Stone Products Mining Syndicate, Limited. Most of the production at the time as mainly taken from a shallow pit made in 1925 on a biotite showing. This resulted in processed mica that rather had a value of $6,391, and scrap mica was valued at $1,033

Within 1948, mining operations by the Bancroft Mics and Stone Products Mining Syndicate was continued onward. Most of the mining at this time was strictly confined to Lot. 31, concession XV, of Faraday Township, Ontario Canada. By the end of that year it was reported that the open pit was expanded in size as it was 35 feet long,15 feet wide,and 50 feet deep. Mica at the time was also taken to Bancroft, Ontario, Canada for trimming before being sold. Sale of all production at the time had amounted to 15,364 pounds of trimmed mica, and 200 tonnes of scrap mica.

The Silver Crater Mine was rather known as a small prospect zone that was staked by the Silver Crater Mines, Limited in 1954. This whole entire claimed area would be staked on lot 21, of concession 10, within Galway Township, Peterborough County, Ontario, Canada. As mining operations had started the company would undergo extensive exploration procedures on this property. By this time, the claimed area was being explored further when a scint survey, 52 pit/trenches, and 3,287 feet of diamond drilling was completed. After not coming upon anything valuable, the company would abandoned mining operations on the Silver Crater Mine. Exploratory work by the Silver Crater Mines, Limited was mainly bein confined to a calcite body containing crystals of betafite. Betafite is rather a multiple oxide of columbium, titanium, and uranium.This body is known for forming a sill-like mass in biotite-hornblende gneiss that is adjacent to a body of alkali syenite. Work at the time was rather continued onward by bulldozing overburden and weathered rock from the calcite body. A huge amount of crystals were also recovered i the fall of 1954, by sluicing the weather material that had been bulldozed from the top of the calcite body. Assays that were take of the betafite had resulted in 41.5% Cb2o5, 1.4% Ta2O5, 20.1% TiO2, 21.4% U3O8, ad 9.9% CaO. A calcite body is rather exposed at the surface for a length of 300 feet, and a width of 150 feet. The calcite body is coarse crystalline, creamy in colour calcite that contains large scattered crystals.of black mica, hornblende, and apatite. Other accessory minerals include betafite, and zircon, with the betafite being in a well developed crystal showing cubic, and octahederal faces and ranges in size to less than 1 inch.

Another staking on this claim was made in 1956, when the Coballoy Mines and Refinery, Limited had try to uncover any potential resources. By this time the company had started developing an exploration adit that was driven for a distance of 300 feet into the hill. It was also being explored by 310 feet of drifting, and 135 feet of crosscutting. Nothing else had occurred on this mining property when the mine was officially abandoned by 1957.

Some more explorations on this property had commence in 1970, when it was being option by Swiss Oils of Canada, Limited. Almost all of this exploratory work would consist of a spectrometer, and geological survey that was completed north of the property.

Radioactive mineral occurrences are erratically distributed in this area, but the most important occur in 3 pegmatitic sills in lots 23 and 25, con 10 (there is no lot 24). Quartz is black and feldspar red or purplish-red in more radioactive locations.